2023 Elections: The Ruling Party And Self-Contradictions
The much talked about 2023 General Elections are around the corner as we have a few days to go. Nigerians will once again troop out to exercise their constitutional fundamental human right to vote for who will lead the country from May 29.
We have been thrilled with different campaign strategies by the leading candidates across political parties. However, despite signing of peace pact and pledging to issue-based campaigns, so far, it has been characterized by hate, mudslinging .I don’t think we have had it so bad as this before.
While reviewing events leading to the general elections with a longtime friend in the struggle for citizens freedom; he consciously drew my attention to several contradictions that surrounded the forthcoming elections within the ruling APC.
One of which was the power-game by some cabal around Mr President, long before the monetary policy of the CBN, who don’t want Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed in his quest rather they are supporting the candidate of one of the opposition parties. And we have seen Tinubu’s reactionary moves during the rallies, his outbursts have said it all.
Also the media war against President Buhari by some, if not all the APC Governors vehemently against the Cashless policy implementation resulting in cash crunch all over the country. This opposition within the ruling APC few days to the elections calls for concern. Who will this intra-party crisis favour? Why should a house be divided against itself now ?
One would ask: Why should the governors of the ruling APC take the Federal Government to court, a matter they could resolve within the family? What baffles us the most was the disobedience of the Supreme Court Orders by President Buhari. Buhari, in trying to provide a quick fix, no matter how we look at it, has flouted the Apex court interim order. But some of the governors’ sudden awakening to fight for the masses remain contradictory and suspicious, in the administration characterized by hardship, insecurity etc.
However, the change of naira notes ordinarily should be the policy of the APC but the actions of the governors have raised a question. The policy has numerous advantages as said during President Buhari’s recent broadcast but poor implementation, no doubt has brought untold hardship to already pauperized citizens. The CBN and commercial banks should make money available while mopping up cash not in circulation. The APC Presidential Candidate and Gov El’Rufai have accused that the policy was premised to stop their victory but the Conversation makes bold to say that the low income earners are the most affected.
Gov Ganduje’s claim that Buhari’s 8 years administration didn’t achieve anything in reply to his broadcast against the Supreme Court Orders is another self -contradiction . This APC house is divided against itself. I wonder why a democratically elected president will openly go against the decisions of the highest court in the land. What signal is he sending a few days to elections?
We have seen the fallout effect of the broadcast with Gov El’Rufai, Badaru, Sanwo-Olu and Ganduje given contrary orders which means all is not well with the ruling APC. I think the aggrieved governors should have approached this issue differently where it won’t affect Asiwaju by way of protest votes owing to additional hardships upon the eight years of pains endured.
We have recorded pockets of riots and protests across the states. This portrays huge danger for the forthcoming elections, mounting more pressure on the citizens is dangerous as man doesn’t forget painful days easily.
The Tinubu-Shettima team is finding it difficult to separate Tinubu from the Cashless Policy hardships as many have attributed it to one of those things the APC is known for, ‘hardship’.
The Conversation must go on, as we eagerly await the ruling or better still, the outcome of the Supreme Court on the said policy implementation.
It is also high time, the ruling party to come together and re-affirms the mandate given to Bola Ahmed Tinubu amid these contradictions, if not addressed, might affect the party’s success at the polls. This time should be deployed to mend fences, do the work and not the talk.
